Rising: Highlights From Day 3

Oh yes, the last day of warm up always means, that everyone’s in for a party. Usually, it also means really good music – what feels like Rising headliners – and yesterday really lived up to that.

Could be quite interesting to discuss the fact, that the last three acts closing Rising and Countdown are all names hyped and pushed forward by Danish broadcasting network, DR – but, we’re gonna leave that for now and concentrate on the performances from yesterday.

Hockeysmith (Rising – 17.00)

All I knew about this band came from the description on the Roskilde site. There I learned, that I was in for a “shoetronica” show; that’s right, shoegaze and electronica in one. Interested? So was I.

What I witnessed was three young musicians on stage playing shoegaze on the kind of pills that make you happy. It’s sort of Crystal Castles meets the Apollo stage kind of thing, but it actually works. The two sisters danced around full of energy, but that’s the thing, there’s a bit too much playing around in order to call it shoegaze. The idea is really good, though.

On stage, Annie and Georgie had some help from a friend, who kept track on samples and bass. The thing is though, they only played things that sort of disturbed the backing track, which, by the way, no one took the courtesy of dealing with.

I guess the buttom line is, that this really is a good idea and an interesting project. I really liked the concert and being in their company, but there’s still a lot to learn for these guys.

Chinah (Countdown – 18.00)

Pretty much the first time during the warm up days, that I’ve experienced a real band on stage. A real one, who’s not trying to look in a certain way or act in a certain way, they just went on stage as themselves and with each other, their friends, and they loved every moment of it. There was no “they need an extra man on stage” or “why the hell are they looking so ridiculous”. They were themselves, and I really enjoyed that.

Chinah is a phenomenon, and they’re taking over the world by now. For some reason, it has felt like DK was the last place to conquer – and I was actually convinced that yesterday’s show would be a testament to that. I had my hopes for the opposite, that Chinah would get the audience they deserve, and that’s exactly what I witnessed; A lot of people had turned up to this one, and everyone was singing and dancing along with Fine on stage, while her boys surrounding her did their absolute best to create the soundscape of what really good pop music is supposed to sound like.

During a show with Chinah, you can get the feeling, that you’re a tiny bit bored. That’s when all the talking begins in the crowd. I had that feeling at their show, but only for a minute. I sort of thought, that I could use a bit more diversity, and then ‘Away From Me’ happened. Quite simply the best performed song I’ve witnessed during these warm up days.

I love it when good music gets the reaction it deserves, and witnessing the youngsters at Countdown going crazy to this song was a huge moment for me, I gotta say. They could’ve stayed in their camps, listening to Sivas, but they chose to show up and celebrate one of this country’s treasures.

The PowPow (Rising – 18.30)

Once again, this was one of those experiences where you don’t know much about the band. You know, that it’s really good musicians on stage, and that Gustav Foss is the front figure. By any case, that should be enough to turn up, but still, this was only their second concert, or something like that.

It’s a rare feeling these days, that you can see that everything is performed live. It’s full of energy and confidence, and it’s live – which is much appreciated at this zine. The turn up wasn’t really all that well, but again, not many knows this band and they’re playing at the same time as Chinah. Difficult one for ‘em, but the people who’d turned up really had a blast – and so did the guys on stage.

There’s a rock’n’roll attitude to it, in a sort of Oasis and The Stone Roses kind of way, and you can’t help but sing along with the words “Fuck me like a pool boy”. And that’s where this bands stands out, the ‘fuck you’ attitude performed with such charm that makes it feel like a ‘fuck me’ thing.

The guys on stage were cool, fast and tight – and with so much attitude, it’s kind of ironic that Gustav Foss, who always were sunglasses, had forgotten his shades on a day were the sun baked each and everyone of us.

A last remark could be, that it sort of felt like a new Superheroes was here.

Katinka (Rising – 21.30)

Where to begin?

I never really understood this project, and why so much hype surrounded Katinka and ‘her band’, as she calls it herself. I’ve never witnessed a bigger case of ‘The emperor’s new clothes’. I mean, using words like ‘politics’ or ‘believes’ doesn’t make it political, bright or anything else. Telling everyone, in the most literal form, exactly how you feel or how you felt, what you did or what you didn’t, well, that doesn’t make it interesting. Singing about being an underdog doesn’t necessarily bring sympathy.

I was bored, and sure, she had her fans in front of the stage, but as the concert came along, she lost the audience; to music like this, where you don’t have to make an effort as a part of the audience, where you don’t have to concentrate on the music, the lyrics and the singing, you loose interest and you start talking to each other – and that’s what happened to two thirds of the crowd.

But okay, the masses have spoken, and that’s the kind of music they want. She’s good at doing that kind of ukulele-folk, and people seem to enjoy it – and she’s a really interesting singer, she really is. The material is there, and people have been taking it to them as was it parts of their own diary – because that is what it feels like. It didn’t work on this writer, though.

I saw them last year at the ‘KarriereKanonen finals, and back then, I wondered where the drums were? I did that yesterday as well, and I’m pretty sure a drum set and a drummer could’ve done something interesting.

Klub 27 (Rising – 23.00)

Calling it psychedelic rock is a straight up lie. Stating that it sounds like a modern case of Steppeulvene, and not Gasolin, is just wrong. That being said, I’d be pleased with seeing Haruna as the new Mr. Kim Larsen, and his companions as a new, important rock band.

The energy, the presence and the talent stood as a contrast to Katinka. With a front figure who controlled and owned the crowd, and, as a former rapper, understands how to use the language, it was quite the easy job for the musicians on stage to do the rest. I jumped around, while taking notes on my phone, because I couldn’t help it. Haruna had me in the palm of his hands. It’s good fun, but that’s also what it is – it’s not the best music you’ve ever heard, or something that gets the feelings going, it’s just, well, good fun.

The material is not quite there yet, but I’m certain it’s gonna be. Bringing Ostefar (Pato Siebenhaar) and Raske Penge on stage gets a crowd going, but it’s not necessarily good for the music. But you know what? I had a blast, and so did everyone else there – the turn up wasn’t all to well, having in mind that it was the act closing the warm up days.

Rising: Highlights From Day 3

Asbjørn Lyhne

June 29, 2016

4/6

A really good day for us here at Roskilde. Both music and weather helped celebrate the last day of warming up before the actual festival.

4Overall Score

A really good day for us here at Roskilde. Both music and weather helped celebrate the last day of warming up before the actual festival.